Motorized golf cart

ABSTRACT

Wheeled cart carries one-way electric motor, battery for energizing motor, and one-way transmission for driving wheels. Transmission includes belt loosely trained about pulleys, and a roller engageable with belt to make it taut so that it transmits motion from motor to wheels; disengagement of roller from belt allows cart to be rolled backwardly. Handle includes two telescoping parts, inner part being connected to a rheostat which controls amount of current supplied to motor. Pulling force on outer end of handle determines setting of rheostat and speed of motor.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Norman S. Gardner 64 Trenor Drive,New Rochelle, N.Y. 10804 [21] Appl. No. 813,922

[22] Filed Apr. 7, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 28, 1971 [54] MOTORIZED GOLFCART 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 180/19 H, 180/65, 280/1.5, 280/DIG. 5 [51] Int. Cl 862d51/04 [50] Field ofSearch l80/l9,65; 280/ l 5 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,008 4/1955 Voigt 180/19 (8) 2,869,661 1/1959Fernandez 2,879,858 3/1959 Thomas 180/19 (H) 2,962,106 11/1960 Burnsideet al. 180/19 (H) 3,328,043 6/1967 Johnson 280/l.5 3,150,736 9/1964Kaufman 280/D1G. 5

Primary Examiner-Benjamin Hersh Assistant ExaminerMilton L. SmithAttorney-Brientenfeld & Levine ABSTRACT: Wheeled cart carries one-wayelectric motor,

battery for energizing motor, and one-way transmission for drivingwheels. Transmission includes belt loosely trained about pulleys, and aroller engageable with belt to make it taut so that it transmits motionfrom motor to wheels; disengagement of roller from belt allows cart tobe rolled backwardly. Handle includes two telescoping parts, inner partbeing connected to a rheostat which controls amount of current suppliedto motor. Pulling force on outer end of handle determines setting ofrheostat and speed of motor.

PATENTED was an 1608.659

' SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR lVfl/Pl'll/Y 5. 6/10/7456 BY 4 MORNEYS MOTORIZEDGOLF CART This invention relates to relatively small, battery-operated,motorized golf carts of the type intended to carry a bag of golf clubs,but not the player.

Golf carts of this type are usually provided with a handle by means ofwhich the player guides the cart, the handle sometimes being furnishedwith a switch for turning the motor on and off, to move the cart andstop it, respectively.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a motorized golfcart whose speed automatically adjusts itself to the walking pace of theplayer using it, and to the terrain over which it moves.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a cart which movesforwardly when the motor is energized, but which cannot roll backwardlyunless the clutch forming part of the transmission is disengaged.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description in which reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an illustrative golf cart accordingto this invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cart;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of thedrive mechanism for the cart;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternative type ofcart handle; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing another type of cart handle.

The cart chosen to illustrate this invention includes a body 10, whichmay be fabricated of a suitable molded plastic, supported by a pair ofrear wheels 11 and a pair of front wheels 12. The rear wheels 11 arepreferably of larger diameter, to enhance their traction force on theturf, while the front wheels 12 are of smaller diameter for ease ofsteering. A rear axle 13 extends transversely through the cart body 10,and is journaled in the sides of the body, the rear wheels 11 beingfixed to the ends of the axle 13 exposed on the exterior of the body.

Each front wheel 12 is rotatably supported on a stub axle 14 fixed toone end of a link 15. Each link is pivotally connected between the endof a crossbar 17 and the end of a support bar 16, the latter being fixedto the cart body 10. A steering link 18 is pivoted to the support bar 16at 19, and is pivoted at its back end to the crossbar 17 at 20. Hingedto the forward end of the steering link 18, by pin 21, is a handle 22.It will be appreciated that if the handle 22 is moved horizontally ineither direction, the steering link 18 pivots about point 19 causing thecrossbar 17 to shift. As a result, the links and hence the stub axles 14pivot about the ends of the support bar 16 and the direction of movementof the cart changes.

At its rear, the body 10 pivotally supports a rack 27 adapted to hold abag 28 of golf clubs. The rack 27 is carried by a pair of arms 29pivotally mounted on pins 30 within the body 10, the arms projectingthrough elongated slots (not shown) in the body. In this way, the rackmay be swung between an inclined travel position (dot-dash lines), inwhich it rests within a depression in the cart body, and an uprightposition (full lines) in which its bottom rests on the ground. Golfclubs may conveniently be removed from, and returned to, the bag 28 whenin the upright position, and since the rack 27 rests on the ground whilein this position there is no tendency for the weight of the bag andclubs to tip the cart about its rear wheels.

The bottom wall of the cart body is furnished with a rectangular holecovered by a support plate 33, preferably of metal, fastened to the body10 by suitable means not shown. The plate 33 carries the drive mechanismfor the cart. The drive mechanism (best seen in FIG. 3) includes, in thepresent example, a oneway, 12 volt DC, electric motor 34 powered by a 12volt battery 35. A transmission delivers rotary motion from the motorshaft to the rear wheels 11. The transmission includes, within thehousing 36, a worm fixed to and rotated by the shaft of motor 34, and aworm wheel engaging the worm, the worm wheel being fixed to a transverseshaft 37. At its free end, the shaft 37 carries a pulley 38, and anotherpulley 39 is fixed to the rear axle 13 of the cart. A belt 40 is looselytrained about the pulleys 38 and 39, the fit being so loose thatnormally, i.e., unless the belt is made taut, the belt slips when eitherpulley is rotated so that no motion is transmitted to the other pulley.

A clutch arrangement is provided for the purpose of making the belt 40taut, when desired, to efiect a driving relationship between the motor34 and the axle 13. The clutch of this example includes a support rod43, the central portion of which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 44fixed to the plate 33. Near its inner end, the rod 43 is provided withtwo right-angle bends defining a connecting portion 42, and an inner endportion 45 parallel to, but offset from, the pivot axis of the rod. Theend portion 45 carries a push member, which may be a polyethylene roller46, located in the plane containing the belt 40. Closer to its oppositeend, the rod 43 is provided with another right angle bend defining anarm 47 to which the lower end of a push rod 48 is pivotally connected.The push rod 48 extends through a hole 49 in the cart body 10, exposinga handle portion 50 at its upper end.

When the parts are positioned as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, theclutch is disengaged and the roller 46 is at rest out of engagement withthe belt 40. In this condition, the push rod 48 is in its uppermostposition, the connecting portion 42 is horizontal, and the arm 47 isalmost vertical. When viewed from the side of the cart, as in FIG. 1,the arm 47 is arranged at an angle of less than with respect to theconnecting portion 42. To engage the clutch, the handle 50 is pusheddownwardly until the parts reach the broken line position of FIG. 3. Thearm 47 has moved through an angle greater than 90and is now horizontal,lying on the plate 33. Coordinately, the connecting portion 42 swingsthe roller 46 through an are causing the latter to engage the lower runof belt 40 and push it upwardly, thereby tensioning the belt. Since theconnecting portion 42 has also swung through more than 90the downwardforce of the belt 40 on the roller 46 tends to rotate the rod portion 42in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1, but such movement is resistedby the engagement of arm 47 against plate 33. Thus, the belt 40 is heldtaut until the handle 50 is pulled upwardly to return the parts to theirfull-line positions.

With the clutch engaged, rotation of the shaft 37, caused byenergization of the motor 34 is transmitted to the axle 13 and wheels 11via the belt 40 and pulleys 38 and 39, and hence the cart movesforwardly. It will be appreciated that should the cart be stopped on anincline, while the clutch is engaged, it cannot roll away. The reason isthat any tendency of the axle 13 to rotate is resisted by the shaft 37,since the worm wheel on the shaft cannot rotate the worm on the motorshaft. Thus, the worm and worm wheel within housing 36 serve as a brake.However, should the player want to maneuver the cart rearwardly, hesimply pulls the handle 50 up, to disengage the clutch, whereby the rearaxle can turn freely since the pulley 39 will slip with respect to theloose belt 40.

The cart handle 22 comprises two telescoping parts. The outer part 53,hinged by pin 21 to the steering link 18, is hollow. The inner part 54,slidably arranged within the outer part, presents a hand grip 55 at itsouter end, and has one end of a cord 56 connected to its inner end. Thecord extends through the outer part 53, partially around a roller 57,carried by pin 21, and is wrapped around a spool 58, the end of the cordbeing fixed to the spool. The spool 58 is fixed to the upper end of ashaft 59 which at its lower end carries the wiper 60 of a circularrheostat 61. The rheostat may be a ring rheostat sold by Ward Leonardunder the trademark vitrohm." A circuit for energizing the motor 34includes the battery 35, one pole of which is connected to the motor byconductor 64, a conductor 65 connecting the motor to the resistance ofrheostat 61, and a conductor 66 connecting the rheostat wiper 60 to theother pole of the battery 35 via a main switch 67.

A spring 68 surrounding the shaft 59 continuously urges the shaft,spool, and wiper in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, thustending to wind the cord 56 around the spool.

Consequently, when no pulling force is applied to the grip 55, thespring 68 maintains the inner handle part 54 in its innermost position,wherein a collar 69 formed on the inner part rests against the free endedge of outer part 53, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1. In addition,the wiper 60 is positioned so that the maximum resistance of therheostat 61 is in the circuit. In fact the wiper may be spaced from therheostat resistance so that the circuit is open. In any case, with noforce applied to the grip 55, the motor 34 is not energized even thoughthe main switch 67 is closed.

When a pulling force is applied to the grip 55, the inner handle part 54slides out of the outer part 53, against the force of spring 68, anamount dependent upon the magnitude of the pulling force. This movementof the inner part 54 causes rotation of spool 58, via cord 56, and movesthe wiper 60 with respect to the rheostat resistance. The arrangement ofthe rheostat is such that when the wiper first engages the resistance,the maximum resistance of the rheostat is in the motor-energizingcircuit. As the wiper moves, in response to outward movement of the cord56, less and less resistance is in the circuit. 7

Thus, it will be seen that if the player, grasping the grip 55, startswalking from a standstill, or begins walking up a hill or begins walkingfaster, so that the inner handle part 54 is pulled farther out of theouter handle part 53, there will be less resistance in the circuitwhereby more voltage is supplied to the motor 34 and the motor and cartmove faster. Conversely, should the player begin walking downhill, orslow down, or stop, the spring 68 pulls the inner handle part 54 intothe outer part 53, more resistance is added to the circuit, and themotor 34 and cart slow down. In other words, the speed of the motor andcart is directly proportional to the pulling force on the grip 55, sothat the cart automatically maintains a speed conforming to that of theplayer pulling the handle. It may be mentioned that the pulling forceapplied by the player is very small, since it need only be enough toovercome the force of spring 68, and the spring force is made justsufficient to overcome the frictional forces tending to prevent theinner handle part 54 and the shaft 59 and wiper 60 from returning totheir inoperative positions when the force on the grip 55 is released.

If desired, the grip 55 may be replaced by a bracket 72 (FIG. 4) which aplayer may slip over his wrist. Alternatively, the grip may be replacedby a clip, including a hook portion 74 and a spring member 75, which aplayer may engage with a portion of his clothing, such as his belt. Ineither case, both hands of the player are left free.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, andby way of example, and it is understood, therefore, that many variationsmay be made in the invention which will still be comprised within itsspirit.

What is claimed is:

1. A motorized golf cart, comprising a. a body;

b. a rack pivotally secured to said body for accommodating a bag of golfclubs, said rack being pivotable between an inclined position in whichit rests on said body, and an upright position in which said rack isvertical and its bottom rests on the ground,

. wheels for movably supporting said body on the ground;

a one-way electric motor mounted in said body;

a one-way transmission, including a clutch, between said motor and atleast one of said wheels for propelling the car forwardly when saidmotor is energized, said transmission preventing the cart from rollingbackwards when the clutch is engaged and the motor deenergized;

f. means exposed on the exterior of said body for operating said clutch,whereby the transmission connection between said wheel and motor may beselectively disconnected to permit the cart to be manually maneuveredrearwardly; g. an energizing circuit for said motor including a batterycarried by said body, and a rheostat in series with said battery andmotor; h. a spring urging the parts of said rheostat toward a normalposition in which the maximum resistance thereof is in said circuit;

i. a handle secured to said body; and

j. means responsive to a pulling force applied to said handle foradjusting said rheostat pans against the force of said spring, saidrheostat adjustment being such that the amount of rheostat resistance insaid circuit is inversely proportional to the pulling force, whereby thegreater the pulling force the smaller the resistance in said circuit andthe greater the speed of said motor and hence the greater the speed ofthe cart,

said spring returning said rheostat parts to their normal position whensaid handle is released.

2. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmissionincludes a worm driven by said motor and a worm wheel engaging said wormso as to be driven by it.

3. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmissionincludes a pair of spaced apart pulleys, one of said pulleys beingdriven by said motor and the other serving to drive said wheel, and abelt loosely trained about said pulleys, whereby when said clutch isdisengaged said belt slides with respect to said pulleys, and whereinsaid clutch includes a push member movable between a rest position, inwhich it is disengaged from said belt, and an active position in whichit engages said belt to make the latter taut so that it does not slidewith respect to said pulleys, whereby said belt transmits motion betweenthe pulleys.

4. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 3 wherein said push memberis a roller.

5. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 3 wherein said clutchincludes a support means mounted for pivotal movement about an axis,said support means carrying said push member at a location spaced fromsaid axis, and means responsive to movement of said exposed means (f)for causing pivotal movement of said support means so as to shift saidpush member through an arcuate path between its rest and activepositions.

6. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 1 wherein said handleincludes two parts mutually slidable in the longitudinal direction ofthe handle, one of said handle parts being fastened to said body, andthe other of said handle parts carrying a means to be pulled at its freeend, said other handle part being connected to said means 0), wherebyapplication of a pulling force to said means to be pulled causesrelative movement between said handle parts and adjustment of saidrheostat parts.

7. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 6 wherein said handle partsare telescopically arranged, said other handle part being slidablewithin said one handle part.

8. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 6 wherein the wiper of saidrheostat is mounted on a rotatably shaft, and said means (j) includes aspool carried by said shaft, and a cord wrapped around said spool, saidcord being connected to said other handle part, whereby movement of saidother handle part is transmitted to said spool via said cord causingrotation of said spool and shaft and hence movement of said rheostatwiper.

9. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 6 wherein said means to bepulled is a loop means for encircling the wrist of the user of the cart.

10. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 6 wherein said means to bepulled is a clip means for connection to a portion of a garment worn bythe user of the cart.

1. A motorized golf cart, comprising a. a body; b. a rack pivotallysecured to said body for accommodating a bag of golf clubs, said rackbeing pivotable between an inclined position in which it rests on saidbody, and an upright position in which said rack is vertical and itsbottom rests on the ground, c. wheels for movably supporting said bodyon the ground; d. a one-way electric motor mounted in said body; e. aone-way transmission, including a clutch, between said motor and atleast one of said wheels for propelling the car forwardly when saidmotor is energized, said transmission preventing the cart from rollingbackwards when the clutch is engaged and the motor deenergized; f. meansexposed on the exterior of said body for operating said clutch, wherebythe transmission connection between said wheel and motor may beselectively disconnected to permit the cart to be manually maneuveredrearwardly; g. an energizing circuit for said motor including a batterycarried by said body, and a rheostat in series with said battery andmotor; h. a spring urging the parts of said rheostat toward a normalposition in which the maximum resistance thereof is in said circuit; i.a handle secured to said body; and j. means responsive to a pullingforce applied to said handle for adjusting said rheostat parts againstthe force of said spring, said rheostat adjustment being such that theamount of rheostat resistance in said circuit is inversely proportionalto the pulling force, whereby the greater the pulling force the smallerthe resistance in said circuit and the greater the speed of said motorand hence the greater the speed of the cart, said spring returning saidrheostat parts to their normal position when said handle is released. 2.A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmissionincludes a worm driven by said motor and a worm wheel engaging said wormso as to be driven by it.
 3. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 1wherein said transmission includes a pair of spaced apart pulleys, oneof said pulleys being driven by said motor and the other serving todrive said wheel, and a belt loosely trained about said pulleys, wherebywhen said clutch is disengaged said belt slides with respect to saidpulleys, and wherein said clutch includes a push member movable betweena rest position, in which it is disengaged from said belt, and an activeposition in which it engages said belt to make the latter taut so thatit does not slide with respect to said pulleys, whereby said belttransmits motion between the pulleys.
 4. A motorized golf cart asdefined in claim 3 wherein said push member is a roller.
 5. A motorizedgolf cart as defined in claim 3 wherein said clutch includes a supportmeans mounted for pivotal movement about an axis, said support meanscarrying said push member at a location spaced from said axis, and meansresponsive to movement of said exposed means (f) for causing pivotalmovement of said support means so as to shift said push member throughan arcuate path between its rest and active positions.
 6. A motorizedgolf cart as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle includes two partsmutually slidable in the lonGitudinal direction of the handle, one ofsaid handle parts being fastened to said body, and the other of saidhandle parts carrying a means to be pulled at its free end, said otherhandle part being connected to said means (j), whereby application of apulling force to said means to be pulled causes relative movementbetween said handle parts and adjustment of said rheostat parts.
 7. Amotorized golf cart as defined in claim 6 wherein said handle parts aretelescopically arranged, said other handle part being slidable withinsaid one handle part.
 8. A motorized golf cart as defined in claim 6wherein the wiper of said rheostat is mounted on a rotatably shaft, andsaid means (j) includes a spool carried by said shaft, and a cordwrapped around said spool, said cord being connected to said otherhandle part, whereby movement of said other handle part is transmittedto said spool via said cord causing rotation of said spool and shaft andhence movement of said rheostat wiper.
 9. A motorized golf cart asdefined in claim 6 wherein said means to be pulled is a loop means forencircling the wrist of the user of the cart.
 10. A motorized golf cartas defined in claim 6 wherein said means to be pulled is a clip meansfor connection to a portion of a garment worn by the user of the cart.